Sometimes you get a wild hair and you want to try some wild hare. The waitress hands you the menu, and your eyes are fixated on some insane combination of flavors or a dish so large, you’re sure a team of pack mules will drag it out to the table. Go for it. Get crazy. Order something weird. If it doesn’t work out, there’s always Tums.

— by Greg Elwell,

photos by Mark Hancock and Garett Fisbeck

OKG Eat: Feeling frisky
Garett Fisbeck
Which Came First sandwich at Irma's Burger Shack in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015.

Irma’s Burger Shack

1035 NW 63rd St.

irmasburgershack.com

840-4762

Irma’s is primarily known for its burgers because the NoName Ranch burger is one of the finest ever produced on this earth, but Irma’s has a menu that digs deep to scratch other itches. Take the pairing of blackened fried egg and chicken breast with green chiles and pepperjack cheese on the Which Came First. Steak and eggs? Fine. Pork chop and eggs? No problem. But there’s just something odd about eating chicken with eggs ... if only this didn’t taste so good.

OKG Eat: Feeling frisky
Garett Fisbeck
Calf brains and eggs, lamb fries, and a side of brains at Cattlemen's Steakhouse in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015.

Cattlemen’s Steakhouse

1309 S. Agnew Ave.

cattlemensrestaurant.com

236-0416

Continuing our tour of eggs paired with foods is Cattlemen’s, where the calf brains and eggs are, well, they are. They exist. For some, it’s a delicacy with a mild, mineral taste. (I recommend a lot of hot sauce.) Better are another kind of huevos: lamb fries. It’s the testicular treat that can’t be beat. Give one a nibble and you’re sure to be hooked.

OKG Eat: Feeling frisky
Garett Fisbeck
Vegan "Pulled Pork" sandwich at Picasso Cafe in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015.

Picasso Cafe

3009 Paseo Drive

www.picassoonpaseo.com

602-2002

Vegetarians claim they don’t miss meat. Sure — theatrical wink — sure. That’s totally why the geniuses at Picasso Cafe created a vegetarian pulled pork made with jackfruit that really, really tastes like it contains slow-roasted pig meat. Frankly, it’s a little mind-blowing how this concoction mimics some of the best barbecue around without including a single hoof or snout.

OKG Eat: Feeling frisky
Mark Hancock
Whole roaste branzino dish at Tommy's Italian American Grill, 10-28-15.

Tommy’s Italian American Grill

5516 W. Memorial Road

tommysitaliangrill.com

470-5577

Fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads ... are delicious. I mean, fish tastes great anyway, but if you want to get into flavor country, swim toward the fish head. And for one of the few local restaurants that will serve you the whole fish, give Tommy’s Italian American Grill’s whole roasted branzino a try. Seasoned, baked and finished with lemon and olive oil, this fish is a treat all the way down to the tail.

OKG Eat: Feeling frisky
Mark Hancock
Fried Alligator with white gravy, at The Shack, 303 NW 62nd Street, 10-28-15.

The Shack Seafood & Oyster Bar

303 NW 62nd St.

theshackok.com

608-4333

While it is allowed, the management of The Shack would like to inform diners that wearing overalls is not a requirement for ordering the fried alligator. (From personal experience, I can also tell you they don’t appreciate fake Cajun accents while ordering.) Fried alligator has a pretty mild flavor — not a lot of bite — so make sure you get plenty of delicious dipping sauces, even if you get them all over your overalls.

OKG Eat: Feeling frisky
Mark Hancock
Big Mother Tucker burger at Tucker's Onion Burgers on North May Ave., 10-28-15.

Tucker’s Onion Burgers

15001 N. May Ave.

tuckersonionburgers.com

254-5555

Oh, so you came to eat? Then let me tell you the tale of Big Mother Tucker. She was a beefy gal, stacked three times as high as most ladies you might meet. She was solid, but not impenetrable. Some would even call her a bit cheesy. You could ask her to come without her best friend Onions, but she just wouldn’t be the same. Are you man (or woman) enough to take her down? Maybe it’s time to try.

OKG Eat: Feeling frisky
Mark Hancock
Ogbono soup at Mama Sinmi's Chophouse, 10-28-15.

Mama Sinmi’s Chophouse

2312 N. MacArthur Blvd.

mamasinmi.com

947-6262

Ogedge and ogadamclayton never caught on in West Africa, but ogbono became a favorite and one you can find at Mama Sinmi’s Chop House. Ogbono is wild mango seeds sautéed with fresh-cut spinach, spicy broth and palm oil served over fufu, a dough made from the boiled and pounded flour of yam, cassava or plantains. It comes with beef or chicken, but if you really want to go big, spend $3 extra and upgrade to goat. It’s worth it.

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